1. Always, always eat breakfast. Cortisol levels are highest in the morning, and high levels of cortisol encourage fat storage. Cortisol is an anti-diuretic and can weaken the activity of the immune system.
Stress and anxiety will also raise cortisol levels. Insulin counters the action of cortisol. Insulin is released when we eat.
2. Eat your evening meal before seven - if at all possible. I know this is difficult if you eat out a lot, or work long hours and still have to prepare a meal when you get home. But allowing several hours between eating and bedtime will improve your sleep.
3. Slow down, you eat too fast. Put knife and fork down between mouthfuls. Count how many times you chew each mouthful - I bet it's less than 20 times, and the recommendation is 30! Remember it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain it’s had enough, so eating more slowly is essential.
4. Dish up, clear up. Whether you are snacking (hopefully fruit, nuts or seeds!) or dishing up dinner, serve a portion and put the rest away. Don't eat straight from the packet or container. Don't eat standing in front of an open fridge. Don't keep food hot while you eat - cold leftovers are not so appealing as a second helping.
5. Eat vegetables first. Fill up on veg and salads (slowly), and you won't be tempted to over-eat starches and protein. If you’re eating out, resist the temptation of the bread.
6. Ask for separate sauce/dressing. It is pretty well impossible to tell just how much dressing is on a restaurant salad - and I'm sure it's not a low-fat variety! If you are at home, measure your salad dressing. You don't need much. Gravy, cheese sauce, mushroom sauce, garlic butter sauce, whatever, measure.
7. Presentation, presentation, presentation. Serve food attractively - nice plate, nice cutlery, good glassware, well set table. That's what makes a restaurant meal appealing. So don't just dish up any old how; make it look good.
8. Practice portion control. Always. When you eating at home, make a point of weighing and measuring your portions. Portion sizes 'grow' if you are not watchful. This is a necessary lifestyle adaptation if you truly want to lose weight and keep it off. It's an eating style, not a restriction.
9. Don't feel deprived. If you want it, eat it - just remember 8 above. As the old adage goes 'a little bit of what you fancy does you good'.
10. Drink more water. We often confuse hunger with thirst. Have a glass of water before and after a meal - if you can't manage the post-prandial glass then you probably ate more than you needed to.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Pasta shells : Wk53/3
Labels:
healthy eating,
recipes,
vegetarian
Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick
Ingredients
240gm pasta shells
12 cocktail tomatoes, quartered
½ small cucumber, chopped
6 – 8 spring onions, sliced
1 small can sweetcorn kernels, rinsed and drained
½ cup thawed frozen peas
½ yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
Lettuce leaves
For the dressing:
2 Tblsp Helman’s low fat mayo
½ cup fat free plain yoghurt
¼ cup fat free milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Method
Cook the pasta shells in lightly salted water until al dente.
Drain and rinse with cold water.
Measure the dressing ingredients into a small jug or bowl.
Whisk well to combine.
Set aside.
Place the tomatoes, cucumber, onions, sweetcorn, peas, pepper and bean sprouts in a large bowl.
Add the pasta and toss well.
Just before serving, stir the dressing through the pasta mix.
Place some lettuce leaves on each of 4 dinner plates or bowls.
Pile on the pasta and serve.
240gm pasta shells
12 cocktail tomatoes, quartered
½ small cucumber, chopped
6 – 8 spring onions, sliced
1 small can sweetcorn kernels, rinsed and drained
½ cup thawed frozen peas
½ yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
Lettuce leaves
For the dressing:
2 Tblsp Helman’s low fat mayo
½ cup fat free plain yoghurt
¼ cup fat free milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Method
Cook the pasta shells in lightly salted water until al dente.
Drain and rinse with cold water.
Measure the dressing ingredients into a small jug or bowl.
Whisk well to combine.
Set aside.
Place the tomatoes, cucumber, onions, sweetcorn, peas, pepper and bean sprouts in a large bowl.
Add the pasta and toss well.
Just before serving, stir the dressing through the pasta mix.
Place some lettuce leaves on each of 4 dinner plates or bowls.
Pile on the pasta and serve.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Fish with lemon and herb mayo : Wk53/2
Labels:
fish,
healthy eating,
recipes
Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
4 skinless hake fillets
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
4 Tblsp grated parmesan
2 Tblsp fresh chopped parsley
Grated rind of ½ lemon
For the mayo:
3 - 4 Tblsp fat free plain yoghurt
2 Tblsp Helman’s low fat mayo
30ml lemon juice
Grated rind of ½ lemon
2 Tblsp chopped fresh basil
Method
Make the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients and mixing well.
Set aside.
Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley and lemon rind in a shallow dish.
Pat the fish with kitchen paper to absorb any excess moisture.
Dip the fish in the breadcrumb mixture and press gently to coat.
Gently shake off any excess crumbs.
Spray the coated fillets with non-stick cooking spray.
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the fish for about 5 minutes each side, or until the flesh flakes easily.
Serve with a dollop of the dressing.
I served mixed salad leaves, cocktail tomatoes, oven chips and frozen peas with the fish – the choice of accompaniments is up to you!
4 skinless hake fillets
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
4 Tblsp grated parmesan
2 Tblsp fresh chopped parsley
Grated rind of ½ lemon
For the mayo:
3 - 4 Tblsp fat free plain yoghurt
2 Tblsp Helman’s low fat mayo
30ml lemon juice
Grated rind of ½ lemon
2 Tblsp chopped fresh basil
Method
Make the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients and mixing well.
Set aside.
Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley and lemon rind in a shallow dish.
Pat the fish with kitchen paper to absorb any excess moisture.
Dip the fish in the breadcrumb mixture and press gently to coat.
Gently shake off any excess crumbs.
Spray the coated fillets with non-stick cooking spray.
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the fish for about 5 minutes each side, or until the flesh flakes easily.
Serve with a dollop of the dressing.
I served mixed salad leaves, cocktail tomatoes, oven chips and frozen peas with the fish – the choice of accompaniments is up to you!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Goals
Labels:
goal setting,
healthy eating,
weight management
So here we are, the new year has begun, bringing with it new opportunities and challenges. Did you make any resolutions? What are your goals for this year? These notes on goal setting don't only apply to weight loss.
When we set goals, most of us tend to get carried away. We are far too ambitious - and the more ambitious we are at the outset, the less likely we are to succeed.When you think 'I need to lose weight', you will probably stipulate the total amount of weight you want to lose, and a specific (short) time period in which to lose it. This approach will more than likely fail because the goal you have set yourself is unrealistic and unattainable! Better by far to break it down into baby steps, and not to put a time limit on success. Success breeds success, so after completing the first baby step (e.g. losing 2kg) you are going to happily commit to the next (baby) step. And so on. Baby steps will help you win minor victories in the march to a major goal.
So what changes in lifestyle are you going to implement to achieve your mini-goal? Most people will say that to lose weight you have to eat less and exercise more - right AND wrong answer!
To lose weight, we need to implement adequate healthy eating habits and sensible exercise.
Let's get the sensible exercise out of the way first. I am NOT a personal trainer. Personally, I am lazy; a lazy cook, and lazy generally. I have never exercised. Not in the formal go-to-gym/aerobics way. Yes, I played netball, tennis and hockey (most reluctantly!) at school. But I have always maintained that I got enough exercise looking after my husband, children and house. If you are into gym, then good for you; the endorphins produced by exercise are positive and very uplifting. The only exercise I introduced at the midpoint of my weight loss program was walking. Actually, not even walking. More of a brisk stroll; pushing my grandson in his pushchair, up to the local supermarket and back (not even a kilometer round trip), weather and nap times permitting, three times a week. But only if I felt like it. If you are not into gym, don't feel you have to start now, especially if you have a preclusive medical condition.
That brings me to the adequate healthy eating habits. Which is what I have been writing about over the past thirteen months – and what I will continue to write about.
When we set goals, most of us tend to get carried away. We are far too ambitious - and the more ambitious we are at the outset, the less likely we are to succeed.When you think 'I need to lose weight', you will probably stipulate the total amount of weight you want to lose, and a specific (short) time period in which to lose it. This approach will more than likely fail because the goal you have set yourself is unrealistic and unattainable! Better by far to break it down into baby steps, and not to put a time limit on success. Success breeds success, so after completing the first baby step (e.g. losing 2kg) you are going to happily commit to the next (baby) step. And so on. Baby steps will help you win minor victories in the march to a major goal.
So what changes in lifestyle are you going to implement to achieve your mini-goal? Most people will say that to lose weight you have to eat less and exercise more - right AND wrong answer!
To lose weight, we need to implement adequate healthy eating habits and sensible exercise.
Let's get the sensible exercise out of the way first. I am NOT a personal trainer. Personally, I am lazy; a lazy cook, and lazy generally. I have never exercised. Not in the formal go-to-gym/aerobics way. Yes, I played netball, tennis and hockey (most reluctantly!) at school. But I have always maintained that I got enough exercise looking after my husband, children and house. If you are into gym, then good for you; the endorphins produced by exercise are positive and very uplifting. The only exercise I introduced at the midpoint of my weight loss program was walking. Actually, not even walking. More of a brisk stroll; pushing my grandson in his pushchair, up to the local supermarket and back (not even a kilometer round trip), weather and nap times permitting, three times a week. But only if I felt like it. If you are not into gym, don't feel you have to start now, especially if you have a preclusive medical condition.
That brings me to the adequate healthy eating habits. Which is what I have been writing about over the past thirteen months – and what I will continue to write about.
Ham salad : Wk53/1
Labels:
ham,
healthy eating,
recipes
Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick
Ingredients
For the dressing:
1 Tblsp Patak’s tikka masala curry paste
1 tsp honey
1 Tblsp lemon juice
125ml fat free plain yoghurt
Small bunch of fresh mint
For the salad:
200gm mixed salad leaves
100gm dried cranberries
6 – 8 spring onions, sliced diagonally
8 baby corns, quarters lengthways
1 red pepper, sliced
300gm thick-cut ham, cut in sticks
Method
Place the curry paste, honey, lemon juice yoghurt and mint leaves in a blender and pulse to combine.
Set aside.
Arrange the salad leaves in a large serving dish.
Scatter with the spring onions, corn and red pepper.
Top with the cranberries and sticks of ham.
Serve the salad with crusty bread.
Allow people to serve themselves with dressing.
For the dressing:
1 Tblsp Patak’s tikka masala curry paste
1 tsp honey
1 Tblsp lemon juice
125ml fat free plain yoghurt
Small bunch of fresh mint
For the salad:
200gm mixed salad leaves
100gm dried cranberries
6 – 8 spring onions, sliced diagonally
8 baby corns, quarters lengthways
1 red pepper, sliced
300gm thick-cut ham, cut in sticks
Method
Place the curry paste, honey, lemon juice yoghurt and mint leaves in a blender and pulse to combine.
Set aside.
Arrange the salad leaves in a large serving dish.
Scatter with the spring onions, corn and red pepper.
Top with the cranberries and sticks of ham.
Serve the salad with crusty bread.
Allow people to serve themselves with dressing.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Link to .pdf files for Week 53
Labels:
.pdf files,
menus,
recipes,
shopping list
Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 53.
These recipes will feature on-line each weekday next week. The .pdf file gives a printer-friendly version with a shopping list so you can do your grocery shopping over the weekend.
These recipes will feature on-line each weekday next week. The .pdf file gives a printer-friendly version with a shopping list so you can do your grocery shopping over the weekend.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Recovery
After the last few weeks of celebration, over indulgence and lack of exercise, it’s time to start a recovery program. My house is in chaos and my digestive system is begging for mercy.
I have been preparing, serving and eating at least two formal meals a day for the last two weeks – breakfast was mostly an informal, help-yourself affair – but my guests leave today and I am back on the healthy eating track. Hopefully the weight I have picked up will come off fairly quickly.
Next week I’ll start sharing recipes again, until then I have some cleaning and laundry to do!
Here’s hoping 2011 will be a kinder year for all of us.
I have been preparing, serving and eating at least two formal meals a day for the last two weeks – breakfast was mostly an informal, help-yourself affair – but my guests leave today and I am back on the healthy eating track. Hopefully the weight I have picked up will come off fairly quickly.
Next week I’ll start sharing recipes again, until then I have some cleaning and laundry to do!
Here’s hoping 2011 will be a kinder year for all of us.
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